XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding (Everything Else)

XBMC (Xbox Media Center) is a media interface first created for the original Xbox. It has many years of development behind it and is a very polished piece of software. Many would say that it is the best way to manage a video / audio collection. XBMC have been developing XBMC for Android since July 2012. Recent releases are stable and very usable.

The big problem with XBMC Android is that video decoding is done in software (by the CPU), meaning that 720p/1080p (HD) will play badly regardless of how powerful your chipset is.

Fortunately, there is a version of XBMC Android available for boxes based on the Amlogic chipset where the video decoding is done by the chipset GPU (graphics processing unit). This allows 720p and 1080p video content to be played smoothly.

The Amlogic chipsets where this works are the 8726-M1, 8726-M3, and dual-core 8726-M6.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I installed this on a Diamond Multimedia AMP1000, running Android 4.0.3 on a 1 GHz AMlogic AM8726 ARM Cortex-A9 single core processor with Mali 400 graphics. It has 512MB of RAM and 4GB of built-in storage.

Athough I had no trouble adding video add-ons like The Engadget Show, I could not set up networking with this build, so I could not access files on my LAN.

Am I missing something in the menus, or has networking been left out of this build?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Is hardware decoding enabled by default? because when i try to change the renderer etc in XBMC (as I normally would), it will not allow me to change it.

The reason why I ask is, some MKV's are jittery on playback, maybe more the audio than the picture issue, but sadly at the moment its not quite there for me.

I would love it to be, so I can mirror my XBMC setup on a small form factor pc downstairs, on my upstairs SmartTV. Yes its wireless (I have fibreoptic and get about 65meg wirelessly), but I have tried wireless sending to other devices, including several phones, other pc's etc and they are fine.

It must either be the build is not quite there yet or the CPU power for the wireless bandwith?

Either way the SMARTTV is great, but XBMC working flawlessly would be the icing on the cake for me.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Hi. I have tried both .apk's on my amlogic smart tv. The app installs and loads up ok. I can find videos on my network and install add-ons. However, when I try to play any video, either from my network or on an add-on, it crashes and goes back to my home screen. Does anyone know if there is something I can do to rectify this? Does the firmware have any effect on the XBMC app.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I would like to ask, if you would please not correct an error is detected?
Test device for XBMC Realplay M4 - Amlogic M1

1.)

First, I tried to install 10-OCT-2012, but I found if you search for files through the ladies there Youtube.Je busy error from other XBMC version where it can jump the table before you start searching. After the ladies find video. The image flickers and nothing works for not find. Search version: 3-SEP-2012

2.)

AMLplayer - unable to play online videos from plugin (koukni.cz) which are HD 720!
Despite another version of XBMC for use of an external video player works.

Despite the HDD is not the problem AMLplaer manages: 720p and 1080p with DTS 2.0

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I recently got my M1 (Bluetimes Smart TV) the other day and straight away I ended putting Xbmc on it.

Version: futekocom-amlogic-10oct2012.zip

Some issues that I have found are:

Amending the weather location is almost impossible.
Mkv files are undetected on the network.
Add-on scripts such as Youtube are very hard to operate.

Things that I did like:

I managed to use my phone as a remote control for Xbmc which was cool although not very stable.
The speeed of Xbmc opening is shockingly quick (Thanks to the ARM Cortex A9 CPU)
Finding my NAS on the network was a piece of cake.
Crisp looking video playback on Youtube and other video scripts.

It would be awesome if someone could guide users on how to install third party scripts for Xbmc.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Hi. I installed the latest 10/10 version of XBMC on my Elf ii tablet. It installs and loads fine, and I can install addons, but when I try to use any of the addons (like icefilms, 1channel, sportsdevil) they do not work. Am I doing something wrong or is there anything I can do?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I'm using the latest October build posted above on a tablet using the M6 version of the Amlogic chip (dual-core Onda vi40) and I have a couple questions:

1. Is there a way to tell if HW accerlation is enabled?
2. When playing a HD mkv file, I only see a quarter of the video. How can I force XBMC to show full screen video?
3. When pushing the video to an external monitor (TV), I get no video but hear sound. Is there a setting that needs to be enabled to fix this?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Link sends you to two downloads: DicePlayer or MX Player version of XBMC. I installed the MX Player version. The compressed file comes with MX Player Pro and XBMC apks, a readme text and xml file. Once installed I could not get MX Player to play any video files externally through XBMC. I looked at the xml file and it did not specify that the MX Player should be the "Pro" player. I uninstalled the "Pro" version and installed the non-pro version, started up XBMC and it worked like a charm.

One could also edit the xml file to work with the pro version, but I wasn't sure what the correct edit should be so I just went with using the non-pro version. I don't think there's much differnece between the pro and non-pro version of MX Player.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Hi. I installed the latest 10/10 version of XBMC on my Elf ii tablet. It installs and loads fine, and I can install addons, but when I try to use any of the addons (like icefilms, 1channel, sportsdevil) they do not work. Am I doing something wrong or is there anything I can do?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

EDIT.....
That apk of XBMC dont play on navi-x wont play HD stuttering am i doing something wrong?
Bar still on bottom of the screen.
every time i turn the power off navi-x will disappear from XBMC any thoughts?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I have the latest f/w with patch & the xbmc package from futeko. I also use Hide status app but my add-ons on XBMC disappear every time the box is powered down. Any ideas? its a right pain to have to keep installing navi-x!!

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Hi, after finding a different xbmc apk I have managed to install ice films, but when trying to play a film, it just seems to be stuck on the 'working' stage then nothing happens! What am I doing wrong?? Somebody please help

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Hi, after finding a different xbmc apk I have managed to install ice films, but when trying to play a film, it just seems to be stuck on the 'working' stage then nothing happens! What am I doing wrong?? Somebody please help

Hi, Which xbmc apk have you used? I take it you uninstalled the version you mentioned in the other thread?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Hi there, I used the apk somebody recommended above somewhere. I did uninstall the previous version before installing this one

xbmcapp-armeabi-v7a-debug-20121226.apk

It works (to a point) just cant watch any films in the icefilms which is mainly why I want it. Just gets stuck on the 'waiting' then nothing happens or it just stops 'working' and gos back to the video stream list. I can however stream videos from my pc. This is the only add-on ive tried as its the main one Ill be using and I dont want to install loads of others if I have to install a different apk. Any suggestions to what Im doing wrong? And how I can get it all working?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I tried to use XBMC as dkbest suggested on my MyGica510B TV Box:
- firmware: 8-12-2012 (automatically updated after connected to the Net);
- Installed: MX Player for NEON Devices and XAF Custom Build for NEON Set Top Boxes.

Installation was fine and smooth. XMBC started. I can see all my contents via UPnP well.

But in many cases XMBC makes strange things and playing movie crashed. The error message is the following "Unsupported audio codec: dts.". I inspected the movie. It is a full-hd mkv file contains 2 different audio streams: AC3 and DTS. I am playing the AC3 stream not the DTS. During the playback XMBC changes the decoder from H/W to S/W, so the movie is slowing down then stops and restarts. I change back the decoder to H/W manually and start the movie. But it happens again and again.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Also after flashing the firmware you suggested did you apply the xbmc patch.

Thanks been struggling with this since November

Hi mate,

Appologies for the delay in replying, I didn't apply the xbmc patch and the xbmc version is linked to from the top of this thread.

Btw have you tried the NEON xbmc release? Going to give it a whirl on my 2nd box tonight too.

Hope you get sorted

##UPDATE##

btw I've found that using the August firmware and the NEON xbmc has it running like a charm. It's an easy installation and like dkbest mentioned above, most of the add-ons you want come installed as standard

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I've installed the 23rd Jan test build and most of the SD films are choppy, not to mention that I've lost HD support. Tried with the xbmc update .img file in the recovery menu, and tried the nightly build from the 25th, same issue. I'll try a more recent one (there's a test build and a nightly from today so I'll try those two), but shouldn't all builds since the RC3 have HD support built-in?

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Can we PLEASE have an update to what is the best set up as in firmware and XBMC build also why is it taking so long to bring out a firmware that hides the bar at the bottom of the screen and also incorporates the XBMC patch.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I keep trying different Xbmc releases but most fail to deliver on the M1. To date the best release is the XBMC 12-26-2012 build from brianf21 on the G-box midnight forum download here.

For network streaming you really have to go with wired ethernet for HD sources.

As I have never received a firmware upgrade since I bought the M1, it looks like it is not supported anywhere. A better firmware can be found here but the remote.conf file must be copied over from the bluetimes firmware to make the remote work.

I am a bit pissed that Futeko have forgotten the M1 as it's only 6 months since I bought it and it's already redundant. Why don't they sponsor a xbmc linux build for the M1 as they have for their other products.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

We sell Chinese branded hardware that is usually internally identical but cheaper than re-branded western products. Often these are identical internally and externally to the re-branded version, as with the MyGica products.

In the case of the Bluetimes Smart TV, the hardware is identical to the MK1 Pivos XIOS, but it was cheaper and available in the UK. As you've found, it is supported in the sense that user builds for the generic M1 hardware will run on it.

Manufacturer support from Bluetimes has not been as good as we would have hoped and we are not currently selling Bluetimes products. We are sorry about this.

But the support generally for our products is good because we pick products using the most popular hardware platform at each hardware generation. The marketplace for tablets / media players / smart TV is full of really poor products with no support at all. Ebay / Amazon are full of them. The products we sell are a step above that, but we are not Apple or even Pivos. We are smaller and our products are substantially cheaper. We do our best.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

I share your frustration with the lack of support for the Bluetimes M1 box. The only build of XBMC that is anything like stable is a pre-alpha v12 from last October, which has limited compatibility with iOS/Android remotes - and addons like 4OD don't run Also no audio sync adjust, which it badly needs. Anyone know of a build with this function that will work on the M1 box? It's only nine months old but I'm seriously thinking of junking it in favour of a Raspberry Pi.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Is there ever going to be an update for what is best to use on the mygiga 510b?? I've tried so many different versions of xbmc and still do not have a fully working version with no problems as yet. I really thought Futeko would have made another update after the December one still posted above. No word either after the official final release of xbmc. Gutted.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

For anyone with the Bluetimes M1 box from Futeko (probably others, too), the May 10 XBMC build for the Pivos XIOS seems to work well. The previous two Pivos builds wouldn't play any media. Download link. Among the changes, audio offset is enabled for the first time.

EDIT: Spoke too soon. This build worked for a few days then started behaving oddly and finally refused to load at all. Can only assume firmware incompatibility, but odd that it did work at first. Now reflashed and rolled back to Oct 9 2012 alpha build of XBMC, which has limited compatibility with iOS/Android remotes - and addons like 4OD don't run. Also no audio sync adjust, which it badly needs. Anyone know of a build with this function that will work on the M1 box? It's only nine months old but seriously thinking of junking it in favour of a Raspberry Pi.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

It's only nine months old but seriously thinking of junking it in favour of a Raspberry Pi.

The MyGica boxes we sell now have better ongoing firmware support than Bluetimes and wider community development. Rather than go for a Raspberry Pi, which is extremely underpowered these days, something like the MyGica 120 provides fast stable XBMC running on powerful hardware with a remote. All at a similar price to the Pi.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Something like the MyGica 120 provides fast stable XBMC running on powerful hardware with a remote. All at a similar price to the Pi.

Raspberry Pi is £28 with free iOS/Android remote apps for XBMC. The MyGica stick is almost twice that and doesn't have an ethernet socket; its wifi performance would have to be massively better than the Bluetimes M1 to be viable. Besides, it shouldn't be necessary to upgrade when the original isn't even out of guarantee yet.

I like the Raspberry Pi concept a lot (for teaching and getting people playing with computers in a constructive way) but it's definitely not the best solution for low cost XBMC right now.

About the Bluetimes M1, it was sold by us before Android XBMC even existed so we can't be blamed too much for compatibility being imperfect. I am surprised the Pivos builds don't work on it though, perhaps doing a clean firmware re-install and then installing the latest Pivos XBMC first might create a more stable installation.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Model B is £28.07 excluding delivery from Farnell, the official distributor. Model A has 256MB RAM.

* Wi-fi remote apps don't make very responsive remotes.
* A lego brick case is a fantastic idea but most people will prefer a pre-supplied plastic case.
* Many people won't have a spare USB power supply unit plus cable.

If they brought out a new Pi based on a newer chipset I would be a bigger supporter. It's been around for a long time now and the hardware is looking old. The community support for it is fantastic though, I'll give it that.

XBMC + Amlogic Hardware Video Decoding

Total price is £34.02 for the cheapest Raspberry Pi including UK delivery.

Delivery is free from Farnell's consumer website cpc.farnell.com. I'm well aware that the £20 Model A has 256MB RAM - it was you who invoked it as a comparator but two hours ago you were marking it up to £34.
The question here is not which device has more power - obviously it's not the Rpi - but whether it is suitable for the specific purpose of running XBMC. There are demos aplenty on YouTube to suggest it is.